Girl Friends, Chapters, and Choices
by IwantEliGold
Summary: Ally seems to be having a hard time admitting to anyone but Trish, that she likes Austin. And Austin, well, he seems to be having a hard time even admitting to himself, that he's head over heels for Ally. With all of these boyfriends and girlfriends, and boy friends and girl friends, will the two best friends jealousy become too much?
1. Can you write me a song?

I was lazily flipping through 17 magazine, behind the counter at Sonic Boom, when I heard Austin call to me from the practice room.

"Be there in a minute!" I hollered back to him, before finishing up my magazine and locking up the store.

"You called me?" I asked, walking over to sit with Austin on the piano bench, where he was working on a new song.

"Hey Als, I was wondering if you could do me a favor " he said, as he turned his attention away from the piano.

"No I won't make you pankcakes, and no I won't do your math homework" I giggled, teasing him.

"Aww, but you make the best pancakes!" He whined, causing me to laugh some more, and making him join me.

"So, what is this favor?" I asked him, after we had calmed down a bit.

"Well, remember Cassidy, and how you wrote me that song for her, when I really liked her?" He asked.

"Oh yeah, Heart Beat. How could I forget? You sang it in front of everyone at the diner" I said, remembering how he jumped up on the piano.

"Yeah, that one. Well, I need you to write me another one, if you would" He said, a little shyly.

"Cassidy's back?" I asked, suprised. I hadn't heard Austin mention her being back before now. Last I knew they were supposed to go on a date when she came back. You think he would have mentioned that a little sooner.

"No, Cassidy's not back. Atleast I haven't heard that she is. I was talking about Kira. I was really hoping that you could write me a song for her like you did with Cassidy.

"Why? Trying to find a nice way to tell her how much her breath wreaks?" I asked, nudging him with my elbow as I began to laugh hysterically. I guess I was the only one who found it funny though, seeming as Austin was staring at me with an unamused look on his face. I quickly haulted my laughing.

"You know I already talked to her dad about that, and he took care of it" Austin said, flatly.

"I know, I know" Sorry, I mumbled. "So, why do you want the song anyway?" I asked, curious.

"Well, Kira and I decided to go out on a second date, and I really wanted to make this one special, seeming how the first one didn't exactly go the greatest. I wanted to be able to sing the song to her that night" He said, as I tried to hide the fact that my heart was sinking in my chest. "Do you think that you could work on it with me?"

"Oh, well um...maybe you could just write down some of the things you want in the song, or some things you like about her and just give it to me later" I told him.

"What, why? I thought you could start working on it now while I'm here with you" Austin questioned, confused.

"Um, I-I uh, I really work better alone when it comes to writing songs, and besides, I'm-I'm catching a um, a cold! Yeah, that's it, I'm um, catching a cold" I stuttered, as I got up and started backing away from the piano bench towards the door.

"Ally, what are you talking about? We write great songs together all the time, and you look fine to me. Here, let me feel your forehead" He insisted, as he stretched out his hand and started walking towards me.

"No! I- I mean no, you really shouldn't come any closer. I could be contangious" I lied, faking a couple of coughs for added effect.

"Are you sure you're okay Ally?" Austin sighed. "You've been acting a little strange this week".

"H-how so?" I asked him, a bit curious.

"Well, for starters, it's almost like you've been avoiding me. Usually when the store is empty you're up here with me working on songs, but you've been downstairs for the past two hours by yourself, flipping through a magazine. Which I'm willing to bet you didn't read two words of. Secondly, everytime Kira is around you get this look on your face like you're going to be sick, and then you disappear. And thirdly, you've been stuttering way more than what is usual for Ally Dawson." He explained.

"I'm fine Austin, really. It-it's probably just this cold I'm catching" I stuttered again, as I tried to lie to him. Curse you, you stupid stuttering problem, I mentally groaned.

"Fine Ally, I'll give you the song info later. Feel better" He sighed, as he walked past me out the door, leaving Sonic Boom.


	2. That's ridiculous

**Hi everyone! Thank you so much for the reviews and such! I really appreciate them. :] Here's Chapter 2, I hope you enjoy. ~Kay **

"And then he just walked out" I huffed, as I finished telling Trish what happened between Austin and I at Sonic Boom.

"So, you mean to tell me that the guy you like, wants you to write a song for him to give to a girl who _he_ likes, which isn't you, so he can sing it to her on their second date, because the first date, which you planned, didn't exactly go as well as it could have?" Trish asked in disbelief, as we sat on her bed.

"Yup, that's basically it" I admitted to her. "Although, it's sounds much worse when you say it out loud like that. Probably not as bad as I feel though" I sighed.

"Ally, that is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard" Trish scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"I know, right?! It would be the same as Dez asking you to set up a movie date to watch a Zaliens marathon with some other girl _he_ liked" I stated.

"Um, and how exactly would that be the same?" Trish asked, confused.

"Because, you like Dez the same way I like Aust-" I started, before she cut me off.

"Whoa, what? You actually think I like that red-headed oaf? Ally, I can barely talk to the guy for five minutes without arguing with him" Trish quipped.

"I know, you guys fight like an old married couple. I think it's cute" I confessed, smiling at her.

"It's not cute, Ally. It's annoying. I don't like Dez" She assured me, although I could tell she was hoping I didn't notice the slight quiver in her voice as she said that last part.

"Anyway, what am I supposed to do? Just write Austin the song and act like nothing is wrong?" I asked, unsure of my next move.

"I still think that's crazy, Ally. You're just supposed to help set up the guy you like with some other girl? I mean, how many kinds of messed up is that?!" Trish seethed, as she got up and began to pace around her room. "If I could strangle that boy right now, I would!" She yelled, clenching her fists. "I mean, for him to even have the nerve to ask you to do that is outrageous" Trish growled.

"Whoa, calm down there Trish. It's not Austin's fault. He doesn't know that I like him" I tried reminding her.

"And who's fault is _that_?" She retorted.

"What, you think I'm just supposed to come out and tell Austin that I have a major crush on him?" I asked her in disbelief. "Oh hey Austin, I know that we've been best friends for a while now, and we're great partners and all, but I think I'm gonna drop the crush bomb and make things a little bit awkward between us" I said sarcastically, rolling my eyes at her.

"Oh please" Trish scoffed. "You don't actually have to come out and say it. I have a plan" She confessed.

"Ohhhhh no" I shook my head, refusing to go along with whatever scheme she was concocting. "The last time I agreed to a Trish plan, I ended up professing my love to the cell phone accessory cart guy on the jumbo-tron" I painfully reminded her.

"Would you relax you worry wart, and just trust me for once?" Trish asked, a little hurt.

"Sorry, what is your plan?" I asked her, trying not to sound too nervous.

"Well, you're supposed to write Austin a song for Kira, right? What if instead of writing the song for Austin about Kira, you just write a song for Austin? Obviously telling him how you feel about him. You express your emotions really well through your writing, and Austin is bound to read the song lyrics before he sings it to Kira considering what happened with Cassidy" Trish suggested.

"Wow Trish, that's actually a pretty good idea" I admitted. "There's just one problem though"

"What's that?" She asked, curiously.

"What if after Austin reads the song, things get awkward between us? Like, what if he doesn't feel the same, and doesn't want to be partners anymore? I don't want to jeopardize our friendship" I told her, shuddering at the possibilities.

"First of all, if Austin doesn't want to be your partner anymore just because you tell him you like him, then he's a jerk and he's not the type of friend you want to be hanging around with to begin with. Secondly, don't you want to know either way how Austin feels about you? Whether he likes you back or not? At least if you know he doesn't feel the same way you can start getting over him, and stop wasting your time on a guy you're never gonna be with" Trish noted.

"I guess you're right" I agreed, sadly. "I should probably go home and get started, but I don't really feel like it just yet. Do you mind if I stay over for a while longer? I don't want to think about confessing my feelings to Austin sooner than I have to" I told her.

"Sure, no problem! How about The Notebook and some homemade brownies?" She asked, smiling. Trish is the best. She always knows just how to cheer me up.

"You're the best, Trish!" I squealed, as I jumped up to hug her.

"I know, right?" She laughed, making me laugh too. "What are best friends for?" She asked. Tomorrow I can start working on my song for Austin. Tonight, I just want to have some fun.


	3. Time for a change

**Hey everyone! Srry it's taken me a while to update. Things going on, school, etc. Thank you so much for the reviews, subscriptions, and favorites! It means a lot. I know someone had mentioned in one of the reviews to bring in Elliot, I had already planned it! :) What's a jealousy story without another boy for a little friendly competition? Hehe Please review, it means so much to me! Hope you enjoy!  
**

_1.) Pretty hair_

_2.) Nice teeth_

_3.) Palms don't get sweaty when we hold hands_

_ These _are the things I'm supposed to incorporate into a song for Austin? Well, just to name a few. Not that I'm actually writing the song that he wants anyway, but he doesn't know that. When he dropped the list off to me earlier at Sonic Boom, I couldn't help but laugh. I mean, _nice teeth_? Kira's a beautiful girl, surely he could come up with something more thoughtful to say than, _nice teeth_. I have "nice teeth" for crying out loud, but you don't see Austin wanting to write a song for me now, do you?

My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of my phone buzzing. It was Trish, texting me to see where I was. I quickly sent her a reply back.

_Trish: Hey girl, u still coming over 2nite?_

_Ally: Yeah, I'll b there. Who's coming btw?_

_Trish: Um, u, Austin, that lunatic Dez, and my cousin Elliot is staying over for the week. _

_Ally: Okay, I'm gonna get ready and I'll see ya later._

_Trish: kk :) See u later girl!_

Hmm, I've never heard Trish mention an Elliot before. I wonder if he'll like hanging out with our crazy group.

I made my way down the hall and into the bathroom, so I could shower before going to hang out with everyone. I should probably brush my teeth again quick. It doesn't hurt to have fresh breath. As I grabbed my toothbrush, and applied a small dab of toothpaste, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror; I look boring. I mean, I'm okay. I have clear skin or whatever, and I'm not exactly_ ugly_, but I just look..._plain. _Maybe Austin is right, maybe my hair _is _horrible. He tells me enough. He's constantly making fun of me for something. Mostly my hair. But, it's probably because I usually wear it in a ponytail. Boring, I know. It's not that I'm lazy and just don't want to do anything with it, I just don't _know_ what to do with it. Nobody has ever really taught me how to style it any differently. With my mom being in Africa and all, and Trish having naturally curly, bushy, hair, I've never had a role model.

I pulled the pink hair tie out, and let my hair fall loosely around my shoulders. Maybe it's time for a change.

After showering and washing my hair, I went back to my room and got dressed, deciding on my short fuschia dress and brown belt. I added some wedges, and quickly sat down at my desk opening up my laptop. I typed _youtube_ into the URL bar, and scrolled through a few videos of tutorials on how to curl your hair, until I found one that looked easy enough. I then blow-dried my hair, and attempted to match the girls hair in the video. A half an hour later, after finishing and applying a small amount of makeup, I was ready to go. I smiled at myself in the mirror. I actually look...pretty. Pulling out my phone, I check the time, and see that it reads 6:00. I'm supposed to be at Trish's in ten minutes! Snatching my purse, I run down the stairs hollering to my dad that I'll be back later, and fly out the door.

~Twenty minutes later~

"Ally! You're finally here! How could you leave me alone with these weirdos for so long? Dez is driving me crazy" Trish whined, as she opened the door for me.

"Nice to see you too, Trish" I giggled.

"Sorry, just a little overwhelmed is all" She apologized, finally noticing my appearance. "Wow, Ally. You look great! You actually curled your hair! I love it, it looks so pretty. Wait until Austin lays his eyes on you!" She yelled.

"Shh Trish! Keep your voice down" I whispered, praying to God that Austin hadn't heard her. "I didn't do this for Austin. I just thought that it was, you know, time for a..._change_" I confessed.

"Well, whatever the reason, you look great Ally" She told me.

"Thanks Trish" I smiled, as I gave my best friend a hug.

After pulling away, Trish led me into her living room, where everyone else was talking animatedly about the movie we were supposed to be watching. I think they said it was the new Spider man movie with Andrew Garfield. _So cute_. I was fumbling with one of my bracelets and not really paying attention when we walked in. That's when I noticed the silence and finally looked up. Everyone was staring at me.

I blushed so hard that my face was probably as red as a ripe tomato. "Whoa Ally, you look-" Dez started to say before Austin cut him off.

"Amazing" He whispered, as he just sat there on the couch, staring at me wide eyed.

"Actually, I was going to say different, but that works too, I guess" Dez said.

I was still blushing over Austin's comment. I guess I wasn't expecting his reaction.

"Thanks guys, but it's really no big deal" I told them, still looking at Austin.

A boy I didn't recognize, who looked about our age, got up from one of the lounge chairs and walked over to me. "Geez Trish, aren't you going to introduce me to your beautiful friend?" He asked, smiling at me. I blushed even harder, if that was possible. I noticed that's when Austin snapped out of his daze, his expression changing. Was he, _growling?_

"Oh shut up Elliot, and stop hitting on my friend" Trish said to him, swatting him on the back of the head. He mouthed a quick "ow" before rubbing it.

"Elliot, Ally. Ally, Elliot; my annoying cousin" Trish pointed, introducing us.

"Hi, it's nice to meet you" I told him, reaching out to shake his hand.

"The pleasure is all mine Ally" He said, smiling again; causing me to smile as well, and look down at my shoes.

"Okayyy!" Austin shouted awkwardly, jumping up from the couch and walking over to us. "How about you two stop flirting long enough so we can get this movie started" He said, wrapping an arm around my shoulder.

"We are not flirting Austin" I told him, removing his arm from around my shoulder. "How about you pop the movie in Dez, and Trish and I will go make some popcorn?" I asked.

"Yeahhh, about that" Trish said, from her large, pink, beanbag chair. "I'm not getting up again, so numbskull, go help her out" She finished, pointing at Elliot.

"What? I thought I was the only one you called numbskull" Dez said.

"Oh, don't worry Dez, there are plenty of names I call just you" Trish said sarcastically, smiling.

"Awesome!" Dez shouted, smiling, before realizing what Trish had meant. "Wait a minu-" He started, before Trish through a pillow at his face. "Hey!" He shouted.

"Oops" Trish said, feigning innocence.

"Alright then, well, I guess Elliot and I are going to get the popcorn" I said, walking into the kitchen; Austin not looking very happy.

"So Elliot, where are you from? I've never heard Trish mention you before" I asked him, as I got out a few bags of popcorn, popping them one by one into the microwave.

"I'm from Miami, but I live in NY now. I come down once a year or so to stay with my aunt and uncle, and of course Trish" He told me.

"That's awesome. How do you two get along? By the way she hit you in there, I'm guessing not very well" I giggled.

He smiled. "Actually, Trish and I get along pretty good. We're like brother and sister. The occasional bickering here and there. We grew up together; I used to live here when I was younger, my mom was a single mom and worked a lot, so she didn't really have time to watch me"

"Oh, well that's pretty cool" I told him. "Trish is pretty great" I smiled.

"Yeah, she is" He agreed.

"So Ally, do you want to sit with me during the movie?" He asked.

"Sure, I'd love to" I told him, as I pulled out the popcorn and dumped it into a few bowls. "Here, do you think you could carr-" I started to ask as I accidentally dropped some popcorn onto the floor. We both bent over to pick it up at the same time, and that's when I really got a good look at him. He was so..._cute_. And those lips, those lips are perfect. Perfect enough to-

"Ahem!" An all too familiar voice cleared their throat from the kitchen doorway, causing Elliot and I to jump and pull apart. I guess I hadn't realized how close to kissing Elliot I actually was. We both straightened up to see Austin looking at us. He didn't look happy. Was he clenching his fists?

"Are you two almost done with the popcorn? I didn't realize it was an all night task" He asked, bitterly. I don't know what he was so angry about. If it was really over the popcorn, I mean, c'mon, can't he wait a few minutes? And if it was about the way he found Elliot and I, well, all I have to say, is that he has no right to be upset. He's dating Kira. Besides, he doesn't like me anyway. So what's the big deal?

"Sorry Austin, we'll be there in a second" I told him, handing two of the bowls to Elliot, and grabbing two for myself to carry. This should be a fun night.

I walked into the living room and handed everyone their popcorn, before going to sit on the small two seater couch with Elliot.

"Ally, aren't you going to sit with me? We always sit together during movie night" Austin asked, looking a little hurt.

"Sorry Austin, but Elliot already asked me to sit with him. Next time, okay?" I told him, before taking a seat next to Elliot.

About half way through the movie, I ended up falling asleep. I was woken up by loud whispering. Oh jeez, I had fallen asleep on Elliot's shoulder. Poor guy, I just him. At least he was nice enough to let me sleep and not say anything. I hope I hadn't drooled on him.

"What do you think you're doing man? You just met the girl, and you're already all over her" I heard a familiar voice whispering.

"Whoa, dude. Chill. She's the one who fell asleep on me. It's not like I forced her to" I heard the other voice say.

"What's going on, what's wrong?" I asked, sitting up, noticing Austin standing in front of me and Elliot.

"He's what's wrong" Austin said, pointing angrily at Elliot. "C'mon Al's. I'm taking you home" Austin said, before grabbing my hand, and pulling me off the couch.


	4. What?

**Thank you so much everyone for the reviews! It means the world to me! You guys are so awesome, and I appreciate you so much! :) Thank you! Here is chapter 4, hope you enjoy! **

The car ride to my house was silent. So silent, that the only thing audible was the sound of Austin and I breathing. It was awkward, to say the least. But in that moment I was kind of thankful for it. Don't get me wrong; I wanted to know what was on Austin's mind in that exact moment, but I was afraid if I asked, I would hear an answer I really didn't want to. Why had Austin dragged me out of Trish's house, demanding that he was bringing me home? What was his problem with Elliot; had I been asleep that long? More importantly, why wasn't he talking me?

When we pulled into my driveway, Austin shut the car off, and let out a long withheld breath. I don't know how long we sat there, but I figured if we weren't saying anything, I might as well go inside. I reached for the door handle, without saying a word, thinking it might be best to keep the silence intact; but when I did, a warm hand wrapped around my wrist.

"Ally, wait." Austin sighed, as he let go of my wrist, slightly to my dismay. "Can we please talk?" He asked.

"Austin, I don't know what there is to talk abo-" I started, before he cut me off.

"Ally, _please." _He pleaded, desperation in his voice.

"Why don't we go inside?" I suggested, as I got out of the car, him following.

When we got inside, I put my keys down on the counter and slowly exhaled. I was trying to prepare myself for the upcoming conversation.

"What did you want to talk about?" I cautiously asked Austin.

He walked over to me lifting up his hands, but then stopped, quickly putting them back down, like he was confused, or didn't know how to get his words out right. But finally, he spoke.

"What was that tonight Ally?" He huffed.

"_You're_ asking _me_ that? _I _should be asking _you_ that. You're the one who practically dragged me out of Trish's house with no explanation." I reminded him.

"Yeah, because you were throwing yourself all over Trish's cousin!" He yelled.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. I hardly threw myself on the guy, Austin. I _accidentally_ fell asleep on him. There is a difference." I was starting to get a little exasperated.

He pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and middle finger, attempting to calm himself down before he yelled at me again.

"How do you _accidentally _fall asleep on someone Ally?" He asked in disbelief.

"Hmm, well lets see" I said sarcastically, "I was tired, so I fell asleep, and I must have ended up resting my head on his shoulder absentmindedly. It _is_ possible Austin, it's not like I did it on purpose. I just met the guy for crying out loud!" I told him, rolling my eyes.

"So, that's all it was then? An accident?" He asked, hopefully.

"Yes Austin, that's all it was. I don't know why you're so worked up about his. It's not a big deal." I tried reassuring him. He was starting to sound like a jealous boyfriend.

"It is a big deal, Ally. You're my best friend, and I don't want you near that guy. _Please,_ stay way from him." He pleaded.

I sighed, feeling a bit guilty. "Austin, I can't do that. Elliot has given me no reason why I shouldn't befriend him."

He walked closer to me, minimizing the distance between us, as he placed his hand on my upper arm. I quickly sucked in my breath. It felt like lightening had just shot its way up my entire body, and I couldn't breath properly.

"Ally, I _need_ you to stay away from him." He whispered, before leaning in. The kiss was short, and sweet. But as quickly as it had happened, he pulled away, brushing his thumb against my cheek. He gave me one last look, before walking out the door, without a word. My heart and mind, were both exploding.

~Next Day~

The next morning I woke up around 10 a.m. to the my phone beeping on my nightstand. I reached for it and flipped it open, not recognizing the number. I quickly read the text.

Unknown_: Good morning, Ally! It's Elliot. I hope you don't mind, Trish gave me your number. _

I smiled at the text before sending one back.

Ally_: Good morning Elliot :) And that's fine, as long as she's not giving it away to serial killers or anything, I don't mind. Lol What's up? _

Elliot_: lol No serial killer here, just me. I was wondering if maybe you wanted to do something tonight?_

Austin flashed through my mind, and I thought about last night, when he had kissed me, and then just walked out the door. He had his reasons for doing that I'm sure, and I had my reasons for what I did next.

Ally_: Sure! I'd love to. What did you have in mind?_

Elliot_: Awesome! :) I thought maybe we could go to the beach? I haven't been yet, and I'd really like it if you came with me. _

Ally_: Aww, sounds good to me!_

Elliot_: Cool. I'll pick you up at 7. Can't wait. _

The rest of my day was spent thinking about Austin. Although I didn't want him to, he just kept creeping his way back into my head. I made breakfast for me and my dad, did the dishes, cleaned my room, the laundry; anything that would keep me busy, I did, but nothing worked. What had it meant when Austin kissed me? Did he like me? Or was he just trying to persuade me to stay away from Elliot? What about Kira? Would he tell her? Would they break up? I had all of these questions, but not one single answer, and it was beginning to drive me crazy. By the time 7 o'clock approached, I was about half way out of my own mind. I couldn't shake Austin from my thoughts, no matter how hard I tried. I was about to go on a date with Elliot for crying out loud, surely I could find something else to think about.

Just to my luck, I heard a knock on the door. I was fully expecting to see Elliot showing up for our date, but it was none other than Austin Moon himself.

"Hey Ally. Going somewhere?" He asked me, raising an eyebrow. I was wearing a short jean skirt with a pink t-shirt, and some matching flip flops for the beach. It was late, so I was pretty sure we wouldn't be swimming.

"Um yes, actually." I blushed, feeling a little guilty. I felt like I was betraying him or something.

"Cool, where to? Mind if I come?" He asked, enthusiastically.

"Uh, I don't really think that's a good idea Austin." I told him.

"Aww, why not? Ugh, are you and Trish gonna have a girls night again? I thought we could hang out and watch a movie or something." He said.

"No, we're not having a girls night." I told him.

"Then where are you going, Ally?" He asked, starting to get suspicious.

"IhaveadatewithElliot" I blurted out, really fast.

"What? Can you slow down a little? I didn't get any of that." He said.

I huffed, exasperated. "I have a date with Elliot." I confessed.

"What? You've gotta be kidding me, right? Please tell me you're kidding, Ally." He demanded, angrily.

"I'm not, he texted me this morning and asked if I wanted to hang out with him tonight" I told him.

" And you said yes?! You can't be serious right now Ally. Did last night mean nothing to you? I kissed you for heavens sake!" He yelled. "And now you're telling me you're going out on a date with the same guy I specifically asked you to stay away from? That is so messed up." He growled.

"In case you had forgotten Austin, you kissed me and then walked out the door, without so much as a word. What was I supposed to think? You're dating Kira. It's not exactly something that was supposed to happen, and I have no idea what it meant." I argued.

"I thought I had made myself pretty clear last night when I kissed you, Ally. And I thought you had felt the same way, seeming as you kissed me back. I came back over here tonight because I figured we could go out and watch a movie or something. I wanted to spend time with you. But now I find out you're going out with Elliot. I'm just a bit confused" He hissed.

"Did you break up with Kira?" I asked him, blankly.

"No." He frowned.

"Then I have to go, my ride is here." I deadpanned, as I walked out the door, stepping around him, heading to Elliot's car.


	5. Date number 1

** Hi everyone! Oh my gosh. I just wanted to say thank you so much for all of your reviews, and for favoriting and following my story! It means so much to me, and I love reading your reviews. It's great to know that you guys love the story, and want me to continue writing it. So, thank you for that! :] I tried to make this chapter a little longer, as per request. Sorry for the late update though, there is so much going on. But I'm sure you guys know how that goes. Anyway, here is the next chapter of Girl friends, Chapters, and Choices. Hope you enjoy! Thank you again. **

"Ally!" I heard Austin shout, as I got into Elliot's car. I wanted to get back out. I wanted to break off my date with Elliot. Heck, I wanted to bolt out of this car, run back up my driveway, and throw myself into Austin's arms. But I didn't. I couldn't. He was with Kira, and I'm pretty sure that last nights kiss had meant ten times more to me, than it had to him. If it had meant to him as much as he said it did, he would have broken up with Kira, not have wanted to go on a date with me behind her back.

As Elliot and I started to back out of the driveway, I got a text saying, "Please don't go." But I had to.

"Ally, are you okay? How come Austin is here?" Elliot asked me.

"He didn't want me to go out with you tonight. But it's none of his business." I told him.

"Oh, well are you sure you still wanna go? I mean, we don't have to. I don't want Austin to be mad at you." He said, genuinely.

"I wanna go Elliot. Austin isn't my boyfriend, nor my dad. He doesn't get to decide who I go out with." I snapped, a little bitter. I was a tad mad at Austin, to put it lightly. Did he think I was supposed to read his mind? That I was just supposed to _know_ that he liked me? It was one kiss for Pete's sake, and he wasn't exactly an open book after it had happened. He chose to leave. He chose not to say anything. Excuse me for not knowing what it meant.

"Sorry for snapping at you, Elliot. I'm just a little bitter towards Austin at the moment, but that's no excuse to take it out on you." I apologized.

"No worries, Ally. I totally understand." He smiled at me, as we headed towards the beach.

When we got there, Elliot parked in the huge lot, that sat a little ways away from the pier. He was an absolute gentleman, opening up the car door for me, and holding out his hand to help me out.

As we made our way closer to the boardwalk, I was in awe. It was about 7:30, so by now everything was all lit up. The lights from the ferris wheel, and the rest of the carnival made everything look so beautiful. I had never been to the pier at night before; it was definitely something I could get used to.

"Hey Ally, what do you say we go grab something to eat real quick, and then check out the rest of the carnival?" Elliot asked me, as he led us down the boardwalk towards the shops and restaurants.

"Sure, that sounds good" I said, flashing him a smile.

"Awesome, how do burgers sound?" He asked.

"Mmm, burgers sound great right about now" I accidentally moaned, as Elliot chuckled at me.

"Burger's it is then!" He exclaimed, as he dragged me down the pier to _Brenda's Burger's. _

We climbed up onto a couple of bar stools that were lining the counter, and waited a good ten minutes, before a short, curly haired waitress, finally showed up to take our orders.

"Trish?" I asked, sounding shocked. Although, I really wasn't; that girl has a new job every week, if not everyday.

The Latina flashed a friendly smile, before giving us her signature catch phrase, "Guess who got a job at _Brenda's Burger's_!" She said, whilst wearing a stuffed cheeseburger on top of her head. "What can I get you two?"

"Nice hat. I want a cheeseburger and fries, along with a Diet Coke, and Ally here will have..." Elliot trailed off, asking what I wanted to eat.

"I'll have the same, but with a strawberry shake, please" I told Trish.

"Ugh, are you sure you want a strawberry shake? I'll have to go to the freezer next door, since ours stopped working, and get the ice and ice cream. Then I'll have to get the milk, and the strawberries, and slice them all up and blend it. That is just way too much work for one darn drink, if you ask me." She whined.

I giggled, while rolling my eyes at her. "It's fine Trish, I wouldn't want to put you out." I teased, sticking my tongue out at her. "I'll just stick with water."

"Oh thank God! You're the best Ally!" Trish squealed, hugging me over the counter, before going to get our food.

When it finally arrived, I was so starved, that I hardly payed attention to the fact that Elliot was sitting right beside me. I just kind of dug in like a wild animal.

"Mmm, this so good." I mumbled over the food in my mouth, as I sunk my teeth into the juicy burger. Although, "this is so good," sounded more like "vis is foo gud."

"I'm glad you like it." Elliot chuckled. "You have a little grease on your chin though" he pointed.

"Oh my God" I blushed, reaching for a napkin.

"Here, let me." Elliot offered, taking the napkin, and gently wiping the grease off of my face.

I blushed again, and smiled shyly at him.

"I'm sorry Elliot, I haven't eaten much today, and I was so hungry, I guess I completely forgot about my manners." I apologized, totally mortified.

"It's fine, Ally." He smiled. "I think it's cute when you moan over your food like that. But I think I missed a spot." He said.

"Oh, where?" I asked him, as my hand flew up to my face, trying to find the grease. But before I knew it, Elliot had taken my hand into his, and begin to lean in.

"Right," he began to whisper, leaning in closer. "Here." He finally said, as his lips touched mine.

Elliot's lips were so soft, that I could barely register what was happening; but it didn't take long, and soon enough, I was kissing him back. It was slow, and almost desperate at the same time. Like we both had needed it to happen, for whatever reason. Elliot wrapped a hand around my waist, and pulled me closer to him; so close, that I had to get up off of the bar stool I was sitting on, and stand between his legs. But I didn't mind. I took my free hand, that wasn't interlocked with his, and draped it around his neck. It actually felt...relaxing, to be kissing Elliot like this. I didn't have to think about anything. He was a good kisser, and I found myself comfortable with him.

After a minute or so, we pulled away, smiling at each other like a couple of idiots.

"That was..." Elliot began to say, breathlessly.

"Really great." I finished.

After we were done eating, Elliot and I walked down the boardwalk, hand in hand, to check out the carnival.

We walked around for a while, smiling at all of the little kids, running around and playing games, along with all of the happy couples, just enjoying themselves, having a good time. We even played a few games here and there, ourselves. And after several rides, I finally had to ask Elliot if it would be okay if we checked out the ferris wheel.

"Elliot, do you mind if we ride the ferris wheel once? I bet the view over Miami is gorgeous at this time." I said.

"I don't mind. That sounds like a great idea." He agreed, leading me toward the giant, popular ride.

We stood in line, and waited our turn to get into one of the huge bucket seats. When it finally came, Elliot motioned for me to get in first, and helped me in. Instead of sitting on the small bench across from me though, he sat directly beside me. I flashed him a smile, and feeling bold, I reached out and intertwined our hands again. It felt nice.

"Wow, it's so beautiful up here" I whispered, as we reached the top. I had been right. The view over Miami at this hour, _was_ gorgeous. You could see everything. On one side, you could see the mall, and the large lit up water fountain flowing in the middle of it. On the other, the ocean; and the beach, which was covered with small bonfires.

"Like you." Elliot whispered back into my ear, before he gently kissed the skin, just under it. It was a little cheesy, I know. And highly cliché. But, I _am_ a girl, and it still made me blush at least five shades of red.

"The lights reflecting off of the water look better though." I teased him.

"That's debatable." He grinned, squeezing my hand.

"Ooh, look! There's that dunking booth game!" Elliot exclaimed, pointing to the booth somewhere below us. "We have to play! It was one of my favorite games when I was younger." He said.

I giggled at his enthusiasm. "What are we waiting for? Let's go." I told him, as soon as the ride was over.

"One bucket please." Elliot asked the girl who's back was to us at the dunking booth. It was two dollars for a small bucket of baseballs, to try to dunk the person into the tank of water.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm coming, hold your hors-" The girl started, before turning around.

"Trish? Seriously? What are you doing here?" I asked her in disbelief.

"Guess who got a job at _Dunkin' Dan's_!" She shouted.

"Seriously? Weren't you just working at _Brenda's Burger's_, like not even two hours ago?" I asked her.

"Yeah, well, apparently you're not supposed to pick up ice off of the ground after you drop it, and put it in the customer's drinks. Something about it gets all dirty or whatever. I think it's ridiculous. I mean, we get our water from rivers for crying out loud. Rivers definitely have dirt in them. What's the difference?" She asked, almost innocently.

"Ew, remind me not to eat at the next restaurant you somehow manage to get hired at." I told her.

While we were talking, I heard a loud splash from the dunking booth, and looked over to see a redheaded boy climbing out, and back onto the little bench. Seconds after, I heard the splash again.

"Hey, isn't that Dez?" Elliot asked Trish.

"Huh? Oh, yeah." She laughed, turning around to see Dez get dunked yet again. "Great isn't it?" She asked.

"Wow, it seems like everyone here has really great aim." I said to Trish. "Dez just keeps getting dunked. Poor guy." I said, sympathetically.

"What? Are you kidding me? These people have like the worst aim I've ever seen in my life. Maybe one or two of them actually hit the target." Trish argued.

"Then why does Dez keep getting dunked even when they don't hit it?" I asked her, a sheepish grin growing on her face. "Trish? Do you have something to do with that by any chance?" I asked, suspiciously.

"Okay, so I may have rigged it so that even if people don't hit the target, and just hit the backboard, they dunk Dez. I mean, he's an idiot. Who wouldn't want to dunk him into a tank full of water? Plus, it brings me in more money." She confessed.

"Um, don't you get payed by the hour?" Elliot asked her.

"So I might pocket a little extra cash." She shrugged. "Say anything and your dead, little cousin." Trish growled at him.

"Two months Trish. You're older by two months." Elliot rolled his eyes.

"Whatever. Anyway, you can tell that Dez is obviously enjoying this. Look at him. It's a win-win, really." She explained.

Sure enough, we looked over, and could see that Dez was having the time of his life. He was smiling like a goofball, and gave us two thumbs up, when he saw us standing there staring at him. Poor Dez. He's so naïve, I thought to myself.

"Anyway, Trish, keep the baseballs. I don't think it's right to dunk your friends into a giant tank of water for hours on end, just to make a little cash." Elliot said to her. "C'mon Ally, let's go take a walk on the beach." He said, grabbing my hand.

It was quiet as we walked along the beach together. I was enjoying the cool water occasionally coming up to wash over me feet. There has always been something about the ocean that has given me a sense of serenity. I'm not sure what it is.

As we walked passed all the bonfires, and people roasting marshmallows, I started to shiver. It was getting pretty chilly out, and the wind and mist coming off of the water didn't help much.

"Here, take my hoodie." Elliot offered, noticing the goosebumps making their way up my arms.

"Thank you." I blushed, taking the hoodie. I still couldn't believe Trish had never told me about Elliot; and I definitely couldn't believe that they were from the same blood line. He was so nice compared Trish, such a gentleman.

"Ally, if I asked you something, would you be completely honest with me?" Elliot asked, as he slowed our walking a bit.

"Sure Elliot, what's up?" I asked, a little nervous. God only knows what he would want to ask me.

"What happened with you and Austin? I mean, I know you said he didn't want you to come out tonight, but why? Something must have happened before that, to make him feel that way." He asked, curiously.

I slowly exhaled, and finally stopped walking all together. This was the first time in hours, that I hadn't thought of Austin Moon. And to be honest, it sort of felt nice. I felt normal for a while. Like, a boy who I liked, actually liked me back.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." Elliot added.

"No, it's fine." I said to him, holding up my hand, letting him know I just needed a second before going on with the story.

"I've always liked Austin." I confessed. "For as long as I can remember, I've liked him. But up until now, or so I thought, he hasn't felt the same way. That is, until you showed up. He started acting differently last night at Trish's house. Like he was jealous of me talking to you. I've never seen him act that way before; and after we got to my place, he kissed me. But the strangest thing, is that he didn't even say anything after he did. He just walked out the door. And then tonight he showed up on my door step saying he wanted to go out with me. But he has a girlfriend, so I just don't get it." I confessed.

"That sucks, Ally. I'm sorry. If you don't want to go out with me again, I would totally understand. I mean, you've liked Austin for so much longer, and I definitely wouldn't want to ruin your friendship with him." Elliot said.

"No Elliot, actually I've had a really great time with you tonight. And for once, I wasn't thinking about Austin. It felt great. And I know it may sound kind of bad, like I'm just going out with you to get over him, but the truth is, is that I had fun tonight. With you. And if Austin can say that he likes me, but can't even break up with Kira to actually be with me as much as he says he wants to, then there is no reason that I can't date whoever I want. And I want that person to be you. I can't get over how kind you are; you're funny, nice, and you're such a gentleman. I would love to go out with you again sometime if you would be willing to." I admitted.

"Really? That sounds great, Ally. I'd love to." Elliot smiled, holding my hand again. "I had a lot of fun tonight too, Ally. But, I think we should head home. It's almost 11, and I don't want your dad to kill me, I've barely had a chance to be with you." He laughed.

When we got back to my house, Elliot walked me to my door; but to my dismay, Austin was sitting on my front steps.

"What are you doing here Austin?" I asked, exasperated.

"I was waiting for you to get back. I really want to talk to you Ally." He said, standing up.

"You waited here all night?" I asked him in disbelief. "Austin, I've been gone for almost four hours."

"I know, Ally. Believe me, I know." He said, sounding hurt.

"Um, yeah. Anyway Ally, I'm gonna to go. I'll text you later." Elliot said, heading back to his car.

"Sorry Elliot, I will definitely text you later. Thank you for tonight though, I had a great time." I shouted to him, as he walked down the driveway to his car.

"Ahem. Still here you know." Austin said, looking angry again.

"C'mon then, Austin. Let's go inside. We have some things we need to talk about."


End file.
